Safety devices for projecting bath wall fixtures



SAFETY DEVICES FOR PROJE Filed Dec. 6, 1955 vl lln ATTORNEY \NVENTORMAL/AM JDqa/mv Unitd States Patent "ice SAFETY DEVICES FOR PROJECTINGBATH WALL FIXTURES 3 William J. Dobkin, Jackson Heights, NY. ApplicationDecember 6, 1955, Serial No. 551,330 9 Claims. (Cl. 4-1) charge of thesoap, as the plungeris manually operated.

This dispenser cylinder is secured to a wall of the shower stall orsection by a suitable fitting, connects to a supply line from a soapreservoir and projects horizontally from said wall at a height affordingeasy access thereto. A fixture projecting out from a wall withoutprotection in the manner described, may result in the batheraccidentally colliding therewith and may thereby cause the dispenser tobe damaged and the bather to be injured. j j

' One object of the present invention is to provide a safety" device forshielding and protecting a wall projecting bath fixture against possibledirect collisiontherewith which might cause damage to the fixture andinjury to the bather. r l

Another object is to provide a' safety device for shielding andprotecting a soap dispenser in a shower stall against possible directcollision therewith causing damage to the dispenser and injury to thebather-,without interfering with the accessibility and free manipulationof the dispenser. g a

A further object is to provide a device of the character describeddesigned to serve as a tray for a soap cake, Wash cloth or other bathaccessories. j

' In accordance with certain features of the present in vention, thesafety device of the present invention is in the form of a tray or shelfhaving means for straddling the projecting bath fixture to be protected,such as the liquid soap dispenser, and means for securing the straddlingdevice in protective position in relation to said fixture. The tray orshelf is contoured in a manner to prevent injury to the bather, evenupon vigorous contact therewith. The safety device serves not only toprotect the bath fixture and the bather against injury but also lendsitself to decorative service in connection with the bath stall or room.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention areapparent from the following description and from the accompanyingdrawings, in which- I Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective showing a wallof a shower stall with a soap dispenser projecting horizontallytherefrom and protected by a safety device embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the safety device;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the safety device;

Fig. 4 is a section of the safety device taken on lines 4 -4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section of the safety device takenon lines 5-5 of Fig. 2;and

Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ter is sprayed or streamed onto the bather and aliquid is either integral with said section or forms a separate soapdispenser 10 projecting from a vertical wall 11 of the unit. The showerroom may, for example, be an open room with a wall, such as the wall 11,common to all of the shower units and with a shower head and a soapdispenser 10 connected to said wall at each unit.

The soap dispenser 10, per se, forms no part of the present invention,and may be of conventional type. It may include a valve comprising atube 12 in the form of a cylinder provided with a bottom discharge spout13 and housing aspring-pressed plunger or piston 14 which terminates ina push button orlhead 15 and which operates as part of a suction pump.This cylinder 12 is connected by a nipple 16 to a pipe 17 leading to asoap reservoir or tank system (not shown). All the soap dispensers inthe shower room may be connected to a single soap reservoir through amanifold system or may be connected to the reservoir by respective feedlines. The pipe 17 is connected to the shower wall 11 and extends behindsaid wall as to be concealed at least partly by said wall, and the soapdispenser 10 including the cylinder 12 and the plunger 14 projecthorizontally from said wall at right angles thereto.

The plunger 14 has a cylindrical rod-like end section 18 passing througha gland 19 and the plunger head 15 piece rigidly connected to saidsection. The head 15 is round, and larger in diameter than the rodsection 18 and is preferably concave at its outer end to receiveconveniently the thumb of the bather in the operation of dispensing soapeither in liquid or lather form.

In the operation of the soap dispenser 10, the plunger 14 is normallyspring-pressed outwardly from the cylinder housing 12 in the positionshown in Fig. 3. When a charge of liquid soap is desired, the thumb ofthe bather pushes the plunger 14 inwardly into the cylinder housing 12against the action of the spring. This operation is effected while thepalm of the dispensing hand is cupped below the discharge spout 13, andcauses a measured amount of soap either in liquid or lather form to bedelivered through said spout onto said palm. This operation is repeateduntil sufiicient soap is collected in the palm of the hand. Each timethe plunger 14 is released, it returns to normal outwardly projectingposition through the action of the spring.

The soap dispenser 10 is usually located at about the level of the waistof the bather or a little higher, and in the absence of a protectivedevice projects obtrusively and dangerously in position to cause thebather to collide accidentally therewith, especially where the bathingspace is restricted by partitions dividing the shower room into stalls.As a feature of the present invention, a safety device 20 is provided toshield and protect the soap dispenser 10 against direct contacttherewith. This safety device 20 is desirably in one piece except forfastening or mounting screws, and for that purpose preferablyconstitutes a metal casting. To cause this safety device 20 to serve notonly as a means for protectively shielding the soap dispenser 10 butalso as a support for a soap cake, wash cloth or other bath accessories,the safety device is in the general form of a shelf or tray. To thatend, the safety device 20 comprises a substantially horizontal supportplate 21 of somewhat semicircular shape but encompassing more than asemicircle to afford substantial width in a horizontal direction towardsthe wall 10, and two similarsymmetrically arranged flanges 22 dependingfrom said plate. Each of these flanges 22 has a straight flat section 23along the rear straight edge of the plate 21 extending down far enoughto serve as a wall mounting bracket for the safety device 20, a curvedsection 24 of lower height extending conformably along the front curvededge of said plate and serving not only to impart rigidity to the safetydevice but also to present a curved bounding surface for said safetydevice of sufficient area to obviate injury upon vigorous contacttherewith, and a straight section 25 extending from the front edge ofthe plate rearwardly in a direction parallel to and spaced from thecenter radius of the front curved edge of said plate and having a heightsmaller than that of said rear section 23 but greater than that of thecurved front section 24, for the purpose to be made apparent. Thestraight parallel sections 25 of the two flanges 22 on the underside ofthe plate 21 form therebetween a radial center channel 26 to receive theforepart of the soap dispenser therein, the opposed ends of the twocurved sections 24 of the flanges at the center are separated by a frontopening 27 desirably in the form of a round archway to permit theplunger head to extend therethrough in normal inactive position and toafford thereby easy access to said plunger head for convenientdispensing manipulation, and the opposed ends of the straight rearbracket sections 23 of the two flanges are spaced to define therebetweenan opening 23 aligned with the channel 26 and with the front opening 27to permit the pipe 17 or intake feed line to the soap dispenser to passon its way through the wall 11 of the shower room or stall and to thesoap reservoir behind said wall.

The rear bracket sections 23 of the flanges 22 are provided with holes30 through which screws 31 or other fastening members may pass to securethe safety device to the wall '11.

The inside flange sections are provided with respective tapped holes toreceive with threaded engagement respective axially aligned set screws33 adapted to impinge on opposite sides of the soap dispenser 18 nestedbetween said flange sections. To assure firm anchorage between the soapdispenser 1t and the safety device 20, and to center properly the soapdispenser 10 in the channel 26 so that the plunger head 15 is properlypositioned with respect to the front opening 27, the underside of theplate 21 has a lug 3 E- whieh extends radially along the center thereofand centrally in the channel 26 and which defines a seat for the upperside of the soap dispenser 10. The two screws 33 are arranged withrespect to the seating lug 34, so that in anchored position of thesafety device 2%), the lug and the two screws engage the soap dispenserat substantially equally spaced regions, 120 apart. With the soapdispenser 10 so located, the plunger head 15 will be centered withrespect to the round arch at the upper end of the front opening 27 andwill be encompassed by the walls of the opening with suflicientclearance to permit free axial dispensing movement of said plunger head.

The flange sections 25 defining the channel 26 extend down from theunderside of the plate 21 far enough to receive properly the screws 33and to flank fully the soap dispenser 10. in the specific form shown,these flange sections 25 extend below the curved flange sections 24,except that near the front ends, these curved flange sections 24 mergewith the front lower sections of the flange sections 25 with streamlinecontinuity to form wing extensions 35 at the bases of the sides of thefront opening 27. These extensions 35 make the opening 27 high enough toreceive the entire periphery of the plunger head 15 therein, so thatthis head is adequately protected against collison of the bathertherewith.

The safety device 20 is constructed to serve as a support for a soapcake, wash cloth, sampoo bottle or any other bath or toilet accessory.At the same time, the safety device 20 is such, that it will not collectWater fromithe. shower head. To that end, the support plate 21 has astraight raised central section 36 extending radially along the centerpart of the plate from the front to the back and dividing the plate intotwo adjacent parts 37, each being of concave form to define two dishesin which soap cakes or similar toilet articles may repose withoutslipping off and each provided with drain openings 38. The concavity ofeach dish part 37 is not only in a direction across the safety device 20from side to side, as shown in Fig. 4, but also in a direction at rightangles thereto from front to back of the device. As a result of thisdished concavity on opposite sides of the center section 36, thissection is transversely curved to define a channel 40 along theunderside of the plate 21 extending from front to back to receive thesoap dispenser 10 therein and defining at its front end the upper archof the front opening 27.

All corners and edges of the safety device 20 which might come intocolliding contact with the bather are rounded off, so that no injury canbe sustained by the bather by colliding with the safety device.

In mounted position of the safety device 20, the soap dispenser 10 islocked to the safety device through the set screws 33, and the safetydevice is affixed to the wall 11 through the screws 31. In thisposition, the plunger head 15 projects, if any, only a small distancefrom the safety device 20, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that nodirect contact with said head which might cause injury to the bather ordamage to the soap dispenser can take place. Since the safety device 20itself presents surfaces which are curved and of substantially largeareas, direct contact therewith even with vigorous force, will notinjure the bather.

The plunger head 15 although shielded and protected by the safety device20 in the manner described, still is easily accessible for dispensingoperation, as if the safety device were not there.

The safety device 20 serves not only as a protective device as describedand as an additional shelf support for bath accessories, but is muchmore attractive than a soap dispenser sticking out obtrusively from asupporting wall and therefore has decorative value.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to aspecific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limitedthereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by thescope of the appended claims.

What 'is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be' usedin connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from asubstantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end partmanipulable for operation and adapted to shield and protect said fixtureagainst direct accidental colliding contact therewith, said safetydevice comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed in protectiveposition substantially horizontally over said fixture with its rear sidenear said supporting wall and its front side near the manipulable end ofsaid fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts of said fixture arecovered by said device, While the outer end of said fixture isaccessible for manipulation, a pair of flanges depending from theunderside of said plate and integrally connected directly thereto, saidflanges being spaced substantial distances inwardly from the side edgesof the shelf plate respectively and extending substantial distancesalong the length of the shelf plate from a region near the front edge ofsaid plate, said flanges being disposed side by side on opposite sidesof an approximate center line of the safety device extending from therear side to the front side of the plate and defining therebetween achannel extending along said center line, said channel being open at itsbottom side and at its rear and front. ends to receive in said channelsaid fixture, and Wall mounting flange means integrally secured to therear side of the plate and extending transversely'thereof, said mountingflange means containing apertures to receive fastening elements by whichsaid safety device may be secured to the supporting wall.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described inclaim 1, wherein set screws are provided threaded in said channelflanges respectively and adapted to impinge on said fixture in saidchannel.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described inclaim 1, comprising a rib integral with the underside of said plate andextending along said channel between said channel flanges to form a seatfor the top of the fixture in said channel.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described inclaim 1, said shelf plate having its front edge convexly curved and itsrear edge straight, said mounting flange means comprising a pair of rearmounting flanges separated by an opening in alignment with said channel,said safety device comprising a pair of front flanges extending aroundand integrally connected to said front edge, said front flanges beingseparated by a front opening located in alignment with said rear openingand said channel and affording accessibility to the manipulable outerend part of the fixture.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device as described inclaim 4, wherein the front edge of said plate is substantially in theform of a semicircle, and said rear mounting flanges depend from saidrear edge and said front flanges depend from the semicircular front edgeof said plate.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be usedin connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from asubstantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end partmanipul able for operation and adapted to shield and protect saidfixture against direct accidental colliding contact therewith, saidsafety device comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed inprotective position substantially horizontally over said fixture withits rear side near said supporting wall and its front side near themanipulable end of said fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts ofsaid fixture are covered by said device, while the outer end of saidfixture is accessible for manipulation, said plate having asubstantially straight section extending centrally thereof from front toback, and said plate being dished on opposite sides of said straightsection to serve as a soap dish and to form a channel on the undersideof said plate along said straight section extending from front to backto receive the fixture therein, the front end of said channel being openand exposed from the front edge of the plate and extending tosubstantially the front edge of the plate, and wall mounting flangemeans integrally secured to the rear side of the plate and extendingtransversely thereof to secure said safety device to the supportingwall.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a safety device adapted to be usedin connection with a bath room tube fixture projecting forwardly from asubstantially vertical supporting wall and having an outer end partmanipulable for operation and adapted to shield and protect said fixtureagainst direct accidental colliding contact therewith, said safetydevice comprising a shelf plate adapted to be placed in protectiveposition substantially horizontally over said fixture with its rear sidenear said supporting wall and its front side near the manipulable end ofsaid fixture, whereby most of the projecting parts of said fixture arecovered by said device, while the outer end of said fixture isaccessible for manipulation, said shelf plate having its front edgeconvexly curved and its rear edge straight, a pair of flanges dependingfrom the underside of said plate and integrally connected directlythereto, said flanges being disposed side by side on opposite sides ofan approximate center line of the safety device extending from the rearside to the front side of the plate and defining therebetween a channelextending along said center line, said channel being open at its bottomside and at its rear and front ends to receive in said channel saidfixture, a pair of rear mounting flanges integrally connected to therear edge of said shelf plate and depending therefrom, said mountingflanges being separated by an opening in alignment with said channel,each of said mounting flanges having an aperture to receive a fasteningelement by which said mounting flange may be secured to the supportingwall, a pair of front flanges extending around and integrally connectedto said front edge, said front flanges being separated by a frontopening located in alignment with said rear opening and said channel andaffording accessibility to the head of the fixture, said plate having asubstantially straight section extending along said center line and saidplate being dished on opposite sides of said straight sections to bulgesaid channel upwardly along the top and to form soap dishes on oppositesides of said center line.

8. In combination, a bath room fixture in the form of a substantiallystraight tube projecting through and from a supporting wall and havingan outer control member manipulable to control flow of materialtherethrough, and a safety device for shielding and protecting saidfixture comprising a shelf plate having a wall mounting means at itsrear, a channel formation on its underside open at opposite ends and atthe bottom and receiving said fixture therein, said channel formationhaving boundary side walls therealong spaced inwardly substantialdistances from the sides respectively of said shelf plate and integralwith the underside of said shelf plate, and front flanges along thefront edge of said shelf plate spaced to define a front opening throughwhich said control member is exposed and rendered accessible foroperation in installed position of said fixture and said safety device,the bottom of said shelf plate including the open bottom of said channelformation being fully exposed, whereby said safety device may be mountedin operative position by lowering the safety device over the fixture toreceive said fixture in said channel formation, and screw means passingthrough said side walls and impinging on said fixture to hold saidsafety device to said fixture in said mounted position.

9. The combination as described in claim 8 wherein said bath roomfixture constitutes a liquid soap dispenser having a spring-pressedplunger with a head serving as said outer control member.

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